Scorch
by usnolved
Summary: The fire that runs through her veins contrasts darkly with the ice that runs through his. Wanting normalcy in the form of a new life, Safina Wells finds this unachievable in the name of Jasper Hale.
1. The Void Of It All

The feeling of emptiness is the heaviest feeling of all. The fire that once lit the path of all your passions and desires now struggles to stay ablaze, almost as if a gallon of water had been poured on it. Safina Wells knew this feeling all too well. As she sat on a plane, flying away from her comfortable lifestyle and, more importantly, home in Burlington, Vermont, she couldn't help but think of the leaves falling to the ground as a metaphor for her dying soul. For just seven days, three hours and fifty-two minutes before the spur of emotions on an eight hour flight to Forks, Washington, her mother had been pronounced dead.

**Tuesday, September 4, 7:13 PM**

The image of her brother having to hold her back from running to her mother's body being wheeled out from a failed surgery as she screamed at the doctors for _not doing more_ as she looked for someone-anyone-to blame would not leave her brain.

Safina and her brother hadn't slept the entire flight which landed at Forks Airport at 3:38 in the morning. Dark circles accompanied both of the siblings' tired eyes from the lack of sleep for the past week as they searched for their father. His tall stature was easily spotted as they made their way over from baggage claim and noticed that their step-mother, Cherie, was also there to greet the two.

Safina couldn't help but remember the last time she had seen her father, which happened to be at his wedding. As much as she had wanted to dislike-to _hate_-Cherie, she had no reason to and every interaction led her to the realization that Cherie was a wonderful woman with good intentions and a loving heart.

Gabriel and Safina were immediately greeted with tight hugs from both adults. "How are you guys?" the younger sibling's stomach clenched at the question and she felt bile rising in her throat at the simple question her father had asked. Elliot quickly dropped it and seemingly didn't expect an answer after he noticed the sadness on his childrens' faces.

"Are we all ready to go? We promised Mary that we'd be back before 4:30," Cherie's statement confused the two as they wondered who Mary was. Noticing this, Cherie hesitantly answered, "Mary is our, uh, babysitter," the two teens suddenly realized the situation: they had an unknown younger sibling. Elliot closed his eyes in what the two would call embarrassment and made a hand motion, signaling them to leave the almost vacant airport.

Arriving at the car, Elliot stated, "You'll have to sit in the back, the car seats are in the middle," Safina and Gabriel looked at each other: _car seats. Plural._ They said nothing and got in the back without notifying the two adults of their annoyance.

After about twenty minutes of not talking, Elliot spoke up, "They're fraternal, a boy and a girl, his name is Caiden and hers is Zara," the two siblings didn't say anything as they had nothing to respond with. "They're only eight months old," Safina's face softened along with her body language. Elliot continued, "They were born January second at 2:43 in the morning."

Gabriel asked what both of the teenagers were thinking, "So for more than a year you didn't feel the need to mention that we had younger siblings? Were you planning on telling us at all?" Elliot's face dropped at the accusation.

"We wanted to-we tried to but-" his sentence was interrupted by Cherie's hand lightly touching his forearm, a signal that it wasn't a good time to tell them. Instead, the father just sighed and continued driving.

The house was obviously new, probably designed by Cherie, an interior designer whose contacts included plenty of high end contractors and architects. A stone path led from the long driveway to the wooden double doors that were placed on a large porch encompassed by a stone exterior. Upon entering the house, Safina had to give praise to Cherie on her decorating, the house truly felt like a home, even if her brother and she refused to admit it. The high ceiling hung a glass chandelier as well as a plethora of windows and pictures of the family-even ones of Safina and Gabriel. The two were led to their own separate bedrooms upstairs, each decorated with things people their age tended to enjoy.

"If you wanna change anything, just let me know and we can do that," Cherie's soft smile to the teens reminded them of their mother and sadness struck them again. "Why don't you two shower and get ready for bed and you can unpack in the morning. Oh! Are you two hungry?" they both shook their heads and they weren't lying, they had both eaten the food given to them on the flight despite how much they didn't want to. Their step-mother nodded and gave them hugs, bidding them goodnight before going to bed herself. Their father did the same thing but whispered a quiet apology during his hugs to them. He didn't have to mention what it was for, they already knew.

Following Cherie's advice, Safina walked into her connected bathroom and turned on the shower to the hottest setting she could stand. Grabbing her toiletries out of her suitcase, a picture of her mother, brother and herself caught her eye as tears blurred her vision. She sucked in a deep breath and walked emotionlessly to the shower where she finally let out loud sobs and hugged her arms to her body.

After the sobs stopped, Safina washed her face and body quickly as she just wanted to go to sleep and forget about life for a couple of hours. Wrapping the towel around her body, she grabbed her toothbrush and looked at herself in the mirror. She admitted to herself that she looked _**horrible**_. She sighed and walked out of the bathroom and over to her suitcase to find a pair of pajamas. She settled on a graphic tee and a pair of joggers then proceeded to put her curly hair in a bun and climb into the bed. A yellow blanket sat atop the white comforter and provided plenty of warmth for the cold air that bit at her skin. As she drifted off to sleep, the digital alarm clock read 4:47 AM.


	2. Small Town New Kids

She had been up for hours when her alarm went off, since about 2 AM to be exact. Visions of her mother's dead body plagued her dreams and she had woken up with a sob. Gabriel and she had been in Forks for almost a week when they received the news that they were to be attending Forks High School starting Monday. The night prior had arrived and the two had gone to bed early, both dreading the thought of starting a new school.

Stepping into the cascading warm water immediately woke Safina up from her sleep-deprived state. Not wanting to be late, she sped through her morning routine, even bothering to put in her contacts which had not been worn for three weeks. Figuring that the weather would be chilly outside, she stuck with an olive green sweater and jeans along with checkered slip-ons. When she saw that she still had plenty of time left, she sat down at her desk and did minimal makeup to hide the dark circles and very obvious redness around her eyes.

Cherie called the two downstairs to bid them goodbye and good luck for their first day back and gave them hugs before leaving with the twins. Elliot offered the two a quick breakfast before they left, which they both accepted and quickly ate. They said their goodbyes and trudged out to the car that Gabriel had received as a gift.

"Why are they all staring?" Safina hated the attention they were getting from the students at the high school.

"Why do you _think_ they're staring 'Fina?" Gabriel retorted, using his longtime nickname for his younger sister. She groaned and they continued walking to the office where they received their schedules and parted to walk to their classes with wishes of good luck to each other. Safina walked into Biology, already knowing she was going to hate the class. The teacher sat her beside a very pale-skinned girl donning curly, bronze hair that almost rivaled Safina's.

She introduced herself as Renesmee Cullen with a perfect smile which was awkwardly reciprocated and Safina introduced herself as well. She admitted to herself that the girl was beautiful, but strange, and her classmates seemed to think so as well.

Safina could hear the whispers of remorse directed at herself. While not wanting to be presumptuous, she felt it hard to understand why this girl, who was clearly smart as she never failed to raise her hand to answer questions or fumbled in her wording, was attending Forks High School as she had surely been granted better opportunities.

She forgot about Renesmee's strange psyche and picturesque looks until, in her US History class, whispers circulated again about how strange the boy sitting beside her was. Noting how his honey blonde hair framed his sharp jawline, she hated that the other students couldn't seem to find anything else to talk about. Trying to focus her eyes on the teacher seemed impossible when Adonis himself seemed to be sitting next to her. She didn't fail to notice _his_ pale skin, which would have matched her lab partner's had it not been for the lack of color in his cheeks.

When lunch came, she was quick to find Gabriel and they sat at an unoccupied table after paying for their meal. She noticed the table near the large window that held Renesmee and the God-like boy she had seen but not met along with five other statuesque figures, all differing in looks but all similar in their pale skin and refinement. They sat, laughing and talking, and Safina barely noticed that Renesmee was the only one eating at the table.

The other Cullen, Jasper, she had learned as his name, turned to face her and gave a small smile which she returned and quickly looked down at her lap. Gabriel smirked at his sister and began taunting her about her new "boyfriend". She hit him on the shoulder and noticed the boy, who was definitely biologically related to Renesmee, staring gloomily at her before he began talking to the rest of the table. Before the bell rang, Jasper briskly walked out of the cafeteria, obviously upset about something.

With less than an hour left of school, Safina walked begrudgingly into her last class, Algebra II, gave her slip to the teacher to sign and sat in a designated spot. She noticed Jasper walk in and he paused when he noticed her, but continued to sit beside her.

"I'm Safina," she introduced herself to him with a confidence that had never been exerted before but continued to hold onto it.

"I'm Jasper," he smiled, "You're from Vermont, right?" Her face held obvious confusion, seeing as how she hadn't carried out a conversation at the school past introductions and hadn't told anyone where she was from. He explained, "My dad's the town doctor, he knows pretty much everything," and he gave a heart-stopping smile.

"O-Oh yeah, my dad talks about him, Carlisle, right?" the blonde nodded, "and, yes, I am from Vermont, Burlington, actually. Have you ever been?" He nodded and they continued to chat about her experience in Forks thus far and the reason for her sudden move was never brought up. Safina found it so refreshing that she almost didn't notice his topaz eye color.


	3. Rides From Strangers You Know

Finding La Push was an accident. A happy accident, but an accident nevertheless. It was the coldest it had been in the month Safina had been in Forks, as it was the middle of Fall and she was in what seemed to be the rainiest city in the world. It was Saturday and Cherie and her father had to work, unexpectedly leaving Gabriel and Safina in a big house with nothing to do. Whilst Gabriel dozed off on the couch, Safina had to get out of the house but with no friends and no license, that was hard to do.

She quickly decided that taking a walk in the cold rain was not the best idea but continued on. It was at this point she decided that the weather was not very different to that in Vermont, just wetter. Her Doc Martens were getting the worst of it as she trekked through the woods, hoping to find something interesting.

Soon enough, she heard the calming crash of waves on rocks and hurried to find her way to it. When she finally found it, the beach was vacant, probably because _who would be stupid enough to go the beach when it's raining?_ Finding a place in the sand to sit down was easy enough, letting go of her thoughts was the hard part. With her back up against a rock, she looked out to the water and pondered on the way the waves crashed so violently on the shore but retreated so meekly.

Just when it had seemed to stop raining, a sudden crack of thunder notified her it was time to leave the beach but she stopped when she noticed a group of shirtless guys pushing and shoving each other playfully a ways down the shore. Her arms hugged herself, her grey sweater not doing much for warmth anymore. Watching as they kicked a ball around, she noticed fiery bronze hair sticking out amongst the sea of dark brown as well as pale white skin contrasting the warmth of tan skin much like her own.

Renesmee noticed her and waved, the group of boys slowly stopping what they were doing, each turning to look at her. Turning from the attention with warm cheeks, Safina lowly waved back. A warm smile graced Renesmee's already perfect face as she beckoned the embarrassed girl to join the large group. Not wanting to reject a sign of friendship, Safina briskly made her way over, the wind whipping her hair in her face, a sight for the group watching.

When she arrived to where Renesmee was, she was engulfed in a large hug engaged by the pale girl. She began introducing the large group to Safina but was speaking very fast, giving Safina the chance to only catch a few names. The boy that was introduced as Jacob had his arms around the slim waist of the fiery haired girl, letting Safina know they were in a relationship.

Whilst everyone got back to their game, Seth, probably the youngest of the group approached Safina with a dopey smile. They talked for a bit, he asked lots of questions about Vermont and she assumed he had never left Washington. When it started to get dark, Renesmee, or Nessie, as Jake often referred to her as, offered to take Safina home which was happily accepted as the cold began to overtake the girl.

Wondering how Nessie could possibly have her license, her question was answered as a shiny black car quickly pulled into the parking lot of the beach. Inside the car, the honey-haired Adonis sat behind the wheel, looking confusedly at Safina.

"Hey Jas, can we please take Safina home? She walked here and it's _dark_!" Nessie was quick to beg Jasper about Safina, who was intently looking at her shoes with warm cheeks. She assumed he agreed because Nessie grabbed onto her hand and pulled her into the backseat. Safina didn't fail to notice how cold the other girl's hands were or the lack of rain outside.

She dreamt about golden eyes and pale skin that night. When she woke up, she prepared herself to go back to La Push, quickly throwing on a navy blue sweater with black jeans and white high tops. As soon as she had finished brushing her teeth, ready to leave the house, lightening struck and torrential downpour effectively stopped her. Her dismay lightened when she received a message from Renesmee.

_**Hey Safina! It's Nessie, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out at my house? Jasper could pick you up ;)**_

She had no idea what the wink meant but was excited to get out of the house.

_Definitely! What time can you pick me up?_

As soon as she sent it, Nessie had already replied.

_**On our way!**_

Safina was surprised at how fast the other girl had responded when she hadn't even sent the text yet but decided not to dwell on it. Soon enough, Jasper had pulled into the driveway and Nessie jumped out of the car to greet her new friend. The golden-eyed boy didn't hesitate to smile when he felt the sadness of the dark haired girl lift, even if was just for a second, when she hugged his niece.

Safina tried listening to whatever Nessie was talking to her about, but couldn't stop thinking about how Jasper was less than a foot away from her and it clouded her brain. Renesmee had definitely noticed and rambled about things she knew nothing about, wondering how long it would take for Safina to notice. She didn't.

The Cullen house was astonishing, a true architectural marvel. The walls seemed to have been completely replaced by windows and the greenery made the home look so much bigger. The inside was contrasted with white furniture and dark wood floors along with decorum that appeared to be handmade, maybe even foreign.

When told that Mrs. Cullen was the one who designed and decorated the home, Safina decided that she was slightly better at it than her own stepmother but she would never say that.

Jasper tried not to breathe in too much, although it proved hard as the dark haired girl smelled like lavender and it had quickly became his favorite scent. He knew it was creepy to think about her like he was, but his instincts took over before his brain could reject them.

Renesmee's room was in a house separate from the main one. She explained why—it was a well formed lie—to Safina but all the human girl could think about was how Jasper's arms looked in his button up shirt. Shaking the thought from her head, she noticed the quaint cottage that she had been led to. Nessie's room was beautiful, just like everything else, the pale pink comforter was neatly made and Safina noticed nothing seemed to be out of place but figured her parents were just strict.

The two teenagers talked for hours, never seeming to run out of topics for conversation. When it came time for Safina to go home, Jasper offered to take her while Renesmee ate dinner. Thinking about sitting in a car with only Jasper made Safina extremely nervous.

"Thank you for taking me home," this seemed to be the only thing that would come out of her mouth.

"You've said that. Three times, actually," Jasper chuckled, Safina thought she would pass out.

"O-Oh yeah, I guess I have," she turned to look out the window as her embarrassment skyrocketed.

Jasper sighed and smiled, "You don't have to be so nervous around me, Safina," he paused, "If it helps, I get nervous around you too."

"W-What?" By the time Safina had come out her shock to speak, they were already at her house. His mouth formed a smirk as he told her that he would see her tomorrow. Everything the teen girl did after that seemed surreal, she barely knew what she was doing. It seemed as though she was on autopilot for the rest of the night.

Jasper's golden eyes and matching hair soothed her dreams, interrupting her usual bout of nightmares. She woke up the next morning without redness or darkness surrounding her eyes and a smile warming her face. The rain had finally stopped, probably not for long, but the dark clouds still loomed in the sky, which proved good enough for her.

On the ride to school Safina couldn't help but think about Jasper, her hands fiddling with her white blouse. Safina Wells never dressed for boys but _God_ did she hope Jasper noticed. Gabriel playfully hit his sister's shoulder and she responded with a lighthearted glare.

When Safina saw Renesmee for the first time that day, she looked upset, an emotion she didn't seem to display often. Safina wanted to be a good friend, as well as satisfy her own curiosity, by asking what had upset her friend so much.

"Oh, um, we have family coming this week," Safina immediately understood but noticed the hesitation in her friend's voice, almost as if she wasn't telling the whole truth but Safina wasn't one to pry when it came to people's familial issues. _Anymore._


	4. Be Weary Of Girls In Forests

The biting cold made its way to Safina's torso and she wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to keep herself warm. Her ripped jeans made goosebumps appear on the dark exposed skin and her hoodie didn't appear to be very useful at that point. Walking aimlessly around the woods was never a good idea, less so when she had no idea where she was or where she was going. The lack of knowledge that she had about Forks made her extremely hyper aware of each sound that came from the woods.

She was quick to turn around at the sound of rustling bushes but was quickly brought to her knees by a burning pain encasing her entire body. Her voice was useless, sound refused to come out as she stared at a girl, no more than 15, donning a cloak and a smug look on her face. In a second, the girl had Safina pinned against a tree, a small hand wrapped around her throat, the burning feeling continuing in the dark girl. Gasping for air did nothing but choke her up more, her vision becoming blurry and hands that had attempted to get the arm away from her throat fell to her side, useless with the pain shooting through them.

Just as black spots began to fill her vision, the hand was suddenly removed from her throat, the other girl's nails leaving scratches behind. The burning in her body ceased and she fell on the ground, choking on air while holding her bleeding throat. A beautiful blonde girl suddenly appeared in front of her, Safina knew her to be one of the Cullens.

Safina didn't remember much after that, Dr. Cullen blaming it on too much adrenaline. Jasper was quick to check on her, making sure there would be no permanent damage. Her scars would heal but the curiosity would remain.

"I'm sure you want answers," Dr. Cullen left Jasper to explain the situation to Safina, he could do it best. The girl was quick to nod and he continued, "That was Jane, she's, uh, not from around here."

"Please Stop! Stop with the vague answers because I know you understand that they're not enough!" Safina's voice was weak but her emotion was strong, Jasper felt it and sighed.

"She's here to check up on Renesmee," Feeling the urge to laugh at what she thought to be a pathetic excuse, Safina stood up angrily.

"Why would a young girl be here to 'check up' on Nessie?" Jasper's eyes narrowed at the accusing girl, a small smile playing at his lips.

"Nessie's...different."

"How, exactly, is Nessie 'different'?" Safina crossed her arms, trying as hard as she could to look menacing to the boy across from her.

While Jasper explained the circumstances of Renesmee's birth along with the secrets they fought so hard to keep, Safina's legs turned to jelly and she immediately took her seat back on the velvet green couch.

"S-So you guys are all," she gulped, "v-vampires?" The word felt strange on her tongue, leaving a tingling in its wake. Jasper nodded at the question, hands in his pockets as he read her emotions.

Running a hand through her hair, the brown skinned girl felt warm all over, taking in a new world of information. Jasper only stood there, not wanting to scare her anymore than he already had.

"Prove it," Safina's worried eyes looked up at him as he became confused.

"What?"

"I said, prove it. Prove to me that this isn't a lie and that rethinking my existence as a whole isn't pointless," She stood up again, wiping her palms on her jeans. Jasper took it upon himself to quickly pick up the young girl and run as quickly as he could, maneuvering himself through the thick forest.

When he finally found a spot suitable enough to put Safina down at, her jaw went slack, "Wow, ok, so you weren't lying," She held onto his arms, clinging as though she might fall down at any second. He didn't think about moving her, nor would he anytime soon.


	5. Differences In Future's Plans

Safina woke up early on Monday, a feeling of excitement brewing in her chest. The house smelled of fresh coffee and muffins—Cherie's days off often began like that. Taking the time to make sure each curl was perfect, the teen girl couldn't help the smile etched on her face, seemingly permanently. She hummed softly as red lipstick was swiped onto her lips, bringing out the warmth her eyes had lacked since the death of her mother.

Gabriel was suspicious, seeing his sister so happy; Elliot and Cherie were happy to finally see her with a smile that reached her eyes, no mind to the reason behind it. Breakfast was spent in laughter, stories of the adults' pasts the topic of conversation.

When Jasper saw that Safina had arrived at school, the smile on his face grew larger, his perfect teeth on display. Alice's smile also grew larger, if that was possible, seeing the girl she knew would become a best friend. Safina's curly hair was pinned back, no longer hiding her face, a floral blouse hanging off her shoulders, displaying her bronze shoulders.

People stared at the odd couple as they had on Safina's first day. His porcelain skin contrasted with the deep amber of hers, making it hard not to stare at the beauty of the couple alone. Both of them noticed but neither cared at the peering eyes, they were too caught up in the feeling of each other's hands, connecting as if they were meant for each other, a feeling of warmth spreading throughout both of their bodies.

Jasper walked Safina to her first class, cupping her cheek in his cold hand, then kissed her forehead. He smiled at her before vanishing into the crowd of students, though still standing out, he would never blend in especially in Safina's mind.

As the tall girl sat down in her usual seat, she heard a snobbish voice behind her, "How come an _average_ girl got the Cullen boy?" Safina knew they were talking about her, Bella had warned her they would as they had done when Bella was a human beginning her relationship with Edward. The brace for impact made it less harsh and Safina breathed, trying to focus on the teacher.

Class dragged on despite already being used to hour-long classes, the only difference was her being able to see a certain boy afterwards. Nessie wouldn't stop asking questions, not that Safina minded answering them, though it made class seem longer. When the bell for second rung, the bronzed girl was the first one to leave the room.

Jasper could be spotted within seconds, his pale skin standing out from even the students who rarely saw the sun. The pair met in the middle quickly, smiles placed instantly on their opposite faces. Even though they wouldn't have class together for two more hours, neither seemed to mind, purely basking in the time they did have together.

They had become extremely close in the short time they had spent together. Jasper had refrained from telling her about the true connection they had, not wanting to lose her so quickly. He also hadn't told her about his past, not being too proud of it but also knowing it wasn't the right time for her to know how truly long he had been alive.

However, he _did_ tell her about vampiric abilities, including his own along with the family's. Knowing that his own mood was influenced by that of others, she made it a goal to remain as happy as she could, but he didn't need to know that. He had intentionally glossed over Alice's gift, hoping she wouldn't want to know her own future. Jasper knew she wouldn't take well to her future being extremely hazy, unclear to even his sister. Alice could see the future of mostly everyone, and it plagued the family to not know where her future lead.

When lunch came, Jasper and Safina walked hand-in-hand to the cafeteria. He invited her to sit with his family but seeing her brother waiting for her at a table made her decline. With that, he shrugged and told her to invite him as well. Safina's face lit up and she walked over to Gabriel, nudging him and asking if he wanted to sit with the Cullens.

"Aren't they, like, super weird, though?" Gabriel hadn't really planned on moving once he had sat down, even less to sit down with people who probably didn't _want_ him to sit there.

Rolling her eyes with a smile, Safina answered, "They're just...different," She hoped he would leave it there and oblige her, which he did with a huff. She smiled and grabbed his arm, practically dragging him to the table.

"Hey guys, this is my brother, Gabriel. Gabriel these are the Cullens," She introduced each of them by name, purposefully saving Jasper for last. Gabriel waved and sat down beside his sister, neither of them noticing the subtle glances of worry Alice and Edward shared.


	6. Changes In A Man's Psyche

_A feeling like a white hot iron was thrust at a young girl's forehead. Safina fell to the ground, her limbs rendered useless. She felt the blood rushing from the wound in her forehead, watching the scene in front of her unfold. Jasper appeared in her sight, an unknown pale body attached to his back. The brunette clinging to him clawed at his neck, chunks of pale marble falling to the ground. In a split second, Jasper's head fell to the ground, rolling next to Safina, who let a piercing scream into the air._

Sweat drenched the white pillow Safina's head lay on. When she finally woke from the never ending nightmare, the teenager was quick to leave her bed, not wanting any sort of reminder of the previous events. Inhaling deeply, Safina knocked on her brother's door, hoping he was awake or sleeping lightly enough to hear her.

Answering with a slight frustration, Gabriel sighed at the sight of his teary eyed sister, opening the door for her to enter.

"You're lucky I was working on my essay otherwise you might have had to sleep in the hall," he smiled at her as she laid down on his bed.

Gabriel was used to letting his younger sister into his room late at night, her constant nightmares leaving her unable to sleep alone. He understood, while his night terrors had decreased drastically, they also reduced him to sobbing and the inability to sleep.

"Don't snore too loud, you might wake the neighbors," Gabe laughed as a pillow grazed his head. Before the hour had passed, Safina had fallen asleep peacefully.

Yelling startled the amber teen awake. She ran downstairs to see what was happening, not expecting to see her brother seething with anger, yelling at their father with pure malice.

"If you cared half as much as you say you do, you would have invited us down here more than once every fourteen years!" Elliot remained calm in the face of his son's painful words.

"Son, it wasn't safe for you two to come down here, especially you," Safina couldn't understand why her father wasn't yelling back. She wondered why he hadn't snapped, grounding her brother for being disrespectful like their mother would have, not that she ever had to. Until that point, Safina had never seen Gabriel yell at anyone, with the exception of the boy who pulled his sister's hair in the fourth grade.

Silence filled the air, tension quick to follow at the confusing words Elliot was spouting. Gabriel rolled his eyes, the answer clearly not good enough for him. He began stomping off to his room, when Safina stopped him, worried he would hole himself up like he had done when their mother passed.

"Wait!" The family quickly looked to the girl though she remained focused on her brother, "Wanna go to the beach?" He looked at her, then back to his room and nodded. The siblings walked to their rooms to get dressed, preparing for the cold of the outdoors.

The green forest surrounded Gabriel and Safina as they journeyed through, Safina listening for the crashing of waves. Eventually, she found the clearing of trees signaling the entrance to La Push beach. When they stepped onto the sand of the beach, Safina immediately hear a familiar, twinkling voice and looked up to see Renesmee waving her and Gabriel over.

The first thing Gabriel noticed was the amount of shirtless guys throwing around a football.

"You play?" Gabe looked to see Jacob holding out the ball to him.

"Yeah, actually I got into Harvard, I'm gonna try out for the team," he received surprised looks from everyone save his sister, who sported a proud look for her brother.

As a black car pulled into the parking lot of the beach, Safina ran to Jasper, throwing her arms around his neck as he smiled at her. In the moment, Safina didn't even notice her brother shaking with newly formed anger, heat literally radiating off of his body. When she did, her immediate reaction was to run to him but was stopped halfway by Renesmee holding her back.

"Stay back!" Jacob's voice boomed as Safina turned back to her brother only to see him there for a second, but a wolf the next. The wolf growled, slashing its large paw in the air as Jacob held his hands up, seemingly trying to calm him. Turning back to the bronze-skinned girl, he said, "Safina, call your dad." Following his demand, a large russet wolf also took his place, running after her brother - who she hadn't even noticed ran off.

It only took five minutes for Elliot to show up at the beach where Safina sat in the sand, dumbfounded at the experience she just had. When her brother stepped out of the woods, an excessively large towel was draped around his body. Elliot handed him a stack of clothes as Jacob led him a house on the reservation.

Safina noticed her father's nod to Jasper, who courteously nodded back. His expression slightly changed as he noticed that the vampire's arm had found its way around his daughter's waist.

"I'm sure you would like to know what happened," Elliot's voice called out to his children, leading them to nod furiously. "Well I don't know how much your mother told you so I'll start from the beginning. Your mother's mom and mine were best friends. They both happened to fall in love with Quileute men, whose legends told of shifting into wolves to protect the world from the Cold Ones." Safina noticed her father's eyes shift to Jasper and Nessie.

"According to the legends the men of the Quileute tribe shift into wolves at the nearby existence of vampires. I shifted at 16 and, as our parents predicted, your mother and I began to date. We had Gabe at 18 and 'Fina at 20. You also may not know that Cherie is part Makah, and so is Sam's wife, Emily," he gestured towards a tall russet-skinned man whose arm was wrapped around the waist of another tan woman who had three claw-like marks adorning the left side of her face.

Elliot took a deep breath and continued, "When we met, my world shifted: I had imprinted. Your mother understood and took you two as far as she could so you could live normal lives without shifters or Cold Ones. We knew with the Cullens in Forks, you were definitely gonna shift. I hoped for a better life for you."

"Can I still go to Harvard?" Gabriel's worried expression dampened with sadness as his father didn't answer.

"The pack has certain responsibilities. It's the exact reason I kept you away," Elliot didn't look his son in the eyes as his authoritative voice spoke. He soon looked at Safina, worry replaced with a hint of anger, "When were you gonna tell me about your _boyfriend_?"


	7. Illness Is Never An Option For You

The overwhelming feeling of worry flooded through Safina's body. Her eyes darted everywhere in the room except for the statuesque doctor's face. Though his presence was inviting, Safina had never felt more like an outsider. She knew Carlisle, her worry was in no way correlated to his vampire status. The young girl worried that Jasper - or worse, her father - might find out about her doctor's visit.

"You complained of chest pains and nausea?" Dr. Cullen's golden eyes lingered on the teen as she nodded slowly. "Would your medical history have anything to do with this?" he already knew the answer but encouraged his patients' participation in order to create a welcoming environment.

"I, um," her brown eyes welled with tears but she continued, "I have a congenital heart defect, more specifically, an atrial septal defect: a hole in my heart." She attempted to laugh but more tears came instead. "I had surgery for it when I was like 12 or something. They told me I shouldn't have anymore problems but I've been really nauseous and my chest pains are back and-" A calming voice cut off her concerned rambling.

"Safina," she looked at him for the first time that day, "we'll do some tests, figure out what's wrong, and determine if you need another surgery." He appeared to be asking permission and she indulged, nodding her head slowly once more. "But for today, I need you to tell your parents because you've checked your phone every time you've said something and I'm willing to bet you're expecting a message asking where you're at. Right?"

"I thought Edward was the one who could read minds," Carlisle smiled at her and gestured to the door with a gentle nod. "You won't - you won't tell Jasper, right?" She gulped and looked at the blonde immortal.

"Tell him what? I never saw you today," He smiled at her and she grabbed her jacket to leave.

She smiled one last time before walking to the parking lot where her brother sat in his car, his head pressed against the glass of the window. The warmth of the car was a huge contrast to the cold October air and Safina definitely took notice, embracing the heat while trying to ignore the sharp pains in her chest.

Gabriel didn't ask about what happened at her appointment, his thoughts still scattered from finding out he was a shapeshifter. Safina didn't tell her dad that night. She promised herself - swore to herself - she would tell him sometime that week. She also promised herself that she would tell Jasper, it didn't sit well with her that she had lied to him for two days about her chest pains.

The next morning, Safina felt so sick, she considered asking to stay home. Though, she knew it would cause her father to ask questions and she wasn't ready to tell him quite yet. Her car ride to school was horrible and Gabriel tried to drive as carefully as he knew how to. Once she got to school, Jasper immediately enveloped her in a large hug.

"I missed you," he whispered into her ear, causing her to smile widely. "Are you feeling better?" he asked and Safina tried not to feel guilty.

"Yeah, much," she quickly grinned and grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the school. When they passed his family, Safina could have sworn Alice winked at her. She figured Alice would know without Carlisle telling her, the precognitive ability she possessed letting her know the situation.

When the human girl looked back for her brother, she saw that his hoodie covered his lowered head. Jasper searched for what his girlfriend was looking at and noticed Gabriel, his sadness coming off in large waves, affecting Jasper greatly. When Safina noticed Jasper's crestfallen face, she immediately attempted to push happiness towards him. Her efforts were not unnoticed and he smiled lovingly at her.

"He's been upset since he found out he wouldn't be able to go to Harvard," Safina explained to Jasper as they walked to class.

"He couldn't work something out with Jacob?" the vampire questioned.

"I don't think he's talked to any pack members that much. He goes for training and patrol, comes home, and goes straight to his room. He barely responded when I asked him to take me to the do-" she forced herself to pause, mentally kicking herself, before trying to cover up, "the Dollar General." Jasper looked confused but the bell rang, ending their conversation. He kissed her forehead, his coldness causing her to shiver. A chuckle escaped him as he waved to her.

Safina rolled her eyes at herself for her stupidity for the four hours before she would see her boyfriend. She knew another slip up wouldn't be able to occur without raising suspicion. When she finally got to see Jasper, she felt extremely nauseous; she knew she had to tell her father that night. Dreading the lecture she knew was bound to come about knowing when to take a break, Safina decided to get out of her head and try to pay attention to the lesson. That proved to be difficult considering Jasper thought it appropriate to keep a cold hand firmly on her knee the whole class.

When he began to rub small circles with his finger on her kneecap, Safina thought she would fall out of her chair. She softly asked him to continue that, but on her arm. He obliged and Safina couldn't understand a single word the teacher was saying. She decided then that Jasper Hale was dangerous, but she liked it.

At lunch, Gabriel was nowhere to be found. Safina didn't even realize because her spinning head couldn't barely focus on walking straight. She blinked a few times in an attempt to get a grasp on her standing position. Obviously, Jasper took notice and immediately called Carlisle. Dr. Cullen instructed his adopted son that she was fine and it was probably the flu. Of course, he was lying. The blonde doctor called Safina's father right away and explained the situation Safina had postponed. Elliot cussed into the phone and hung up abruptly.

Gabe did not answer his phone the first time his father tried to contact him. Only the third time his phone rang loudly, vibrating in his pocket, did the shapeshifter decide to pick up and greet his father with, "What do you want?"

"Your sister's sick. I need you to take her to the hospital. Dr. Cullen's waiting in the emergency room." Gabriel decided the day their mother died that he would do anything to protect his sister. He knew he had been doing a shitty job the past week, otherwise he would have noticed the obvious signs that something was wrong. Gabe had seen the signs when he was fourteen when Safina had gotten sick the first time.

Gabriel ran to the cafeteria where he saw Safina sitting with the Cullens. She had lost most of her color and couldn't seem to focus on a particular spot. Luckily, no one seemed to notice that his sister was about to pass out. He quickly ran to her, picked her up, and began to run outside. Jasper made no attempt to stop him as he had no idea how without revealing himself.

When the siblings reached the hospital, their parents had yet to arrive. Carlisle was waiting near the emergency room doors, gesturing for Gabriel to hurry up. Safina barely felt her brother pick her up. She hadn't even noticed she had left the cafeteria. They reached the doors just as Cherie and Elliot pulled into the parking lot. Gabriel was led to a room where he was promptly instructed to set his sister down and leave. He wanted to protest, but decided it was better to let them do their job.

Once Carlisle led him back to the waiting room, Elliot and Cherie were quick to ask how their daughter was doing.

"Honestly, Elliot, I don't know. We'll have to do lots of tests before we can be completely certain what's happening. Even then, we still have to decide if she's a good candidate for surgery. I can push for it but I'm not sure," Carlisle explained. Disappointment was evident on the trio's faces as Elliot shook the doctor's hand and thanked him.

Hours later, Carlisle emerged into the waiting room where the Cullen children now sat with the Wells family. "We finally stabilized her," he began, "it appears that the hole in her heart that the doctors in Vermont fixed has returned."

Elliot knew what a great doctor Carlisle was but still felt the need to ask, "Are you sure? How do you know?"

"We did a chest X-ray and a CT scan. We're sure," Carlisle explained. With the experience he had, Carlisle felt horrible to have to tell a friend the following news. "Now," he started, "the hole is too big for a cardiac catheterization. We'll have to perform open-heart surgery."

"So she is a candidate?" Gabriel clarified.

"Her condition is much too bad to send her home in hopes that the hole closes on its own. It's either surgery or send a sixteen year old home to die; none of the doctors could live with that." While the family rejoiced at the news that Safina would get life-saving surgery from arguably one of the best doctors in the world, to hear that it was because of her bad condition broke their hearts all the more.

Cherie and Elliot were the first to visit her. "I've told you a million times, babygirl, if you feel bad, you need to say something," Elliot said softly as he stroked his daughter's curly hair.

"Elliot, please, just tell her how much you love her," Cherie's soft voice called to her husband.

Gabriel and Nessie were next in line to visit. Gabriel apologized for being a bad brother while Safina assured him he wasn't. Nessie shakily told her friend that she loved her very much and that if she died, Nessie would kill her.

Jasper visited his girlfriend alone. "Why didn't you tell me you were sick?" he asked.

"I didn't want you to worry," she told him heavily. He screwed his golden eyes shut for a minute before opening them again.

"So you lied to me? You never told me you had surgery," he accused. Safina furrowed her eyebrows at him.

"Honestly, I didn't think it was your business,"she huffed at him. Her arms were crossed over her chest and her breathing was heavy.

"I can't lose you," he admitted. She reached for his hand and looked into his eyes, tears filling her own.

'So you won't. Please don't throw things in my face because you're upset. I won't take that," she pled. He nodded and kissed her on the forehead. He laughed as she shivered.


	8. Where She's Been Too Many Times Before

Worry was so thick in the hospital that Jasper was almost plagued with a headache. His overwhelming gift almost begged him to stay away, yet his heart told him the opposite. The empath hadn't felt this much since his time with Maria and, if he was being honest with himself, he wasn't sure if the worry belonged to anyone else _but_ him.

Carlisle assured his son that he could leave the hospital if he needed to. Jasper refused, claiming he needed to be there for Safina. His head was spinning at the possibilities of what could happen if he left, not that he was really doing anything anyway. Edward's attempts to drag Jasper away from the near-catatonic teenager were futile.

Gabriel's thoughts were everywhere, splattered on the wall like blood, messy and sickening. All of his time outside of patrol and school was spent with his sister. His father encouraged him to go on with his life as if his _baby sister _wasn't basically on her death bed. He didn't want to go to football and track practice with Safina like that. Edward had to force himself to tune out Gabriel's thoughts, they gave him a brain-freeze like effect.

Finally, Carlisle came to prepare the group of humans and vampires alike for the effects of surgery. They all bit their nails and wiped their tears as he explained death was a slight possibility.

"So if she…" Jasper couldn't say the word, "what do we do?" He kept his voice low, but high enough for the girl's human family to hear.

"You won't be doing anything, let the doctors handle this," Elliot spoke boldly.

"So if the doctors can't do anything to save her, we just sit here?" the blonde's angry voice asked.

Elliot nodded, "Even if she did want that, which she doesn't, we can't be completely sure that she's not a shifter." Gabriel clenched his jaw at his father's words, hoping on his soul that Safina wouldn't have to bear the same burden. "If she is and you were to change her, it's impossible to know what the venom would do: if it would change her or…" Elliot trailed off, but everyone knew the alternative.

The room went silent as Carlisle walked in. "We're going to prepare her for surgery." Jasper's black eyes fell to the floor and he was sure he would throw up, despite it being impossible. His adopted father pulled him aside and gently placed a firm hand on his shoulder, "It's a long surgery son, go feed yourself, Safina wouldn't want you to starve yourself because of her."

Jasper wanted to refute, to protest and stay at the hospital for however long the surgery took, but his throat burned as it did in the first year of his immortality and he knew being that close to any human was dangerous. He briskly walked towards the exit, Gabriel joining him.

"I don't care where we're going but I'm going with you, I need to get away from here," the shifter spoke and Jasper responded with a slight nod.

Once the duo reached the forest, Gabe attempted to think of anything that would interest Jasper. However, once he got to thinking, Gabriel realized he knew next to nothing about the vampire besides - well, just that he was a vampire.

"So, like, how old are you?" Jasper seemed irritated by the question but Gabriel refused to backpedal and take it back.

"Old enough," Jasper simply responded. This caused Gabriel to look the cold one in the eye. He hadn't looked anyone in the eye since he had moved to Forks and he had never really noticed the golden eyes the Cullens donned, but as he looked into a starved Jasper's black eyes, he sighed.

"Listen, you're upset about Fina, I get it. Trust me, I do. But to push everyone away like you are, is the complete opposite of everything my baby sister stands for. She is the most loving person I have ever met. She's the only person who doesn't treat me like I'm a ticking time bomb, because everyone else just _knows_ that I am. Safina sees the good in everyone, even you, for some reason. She only knows you for who your heart says you are, not whatever you did before this life that led to you becoming what you are," Gabe finished, hoping Jasper would lose the pissy attitude.

As soon as Jasper began to respond he caught the scent of a passing animal and ran in that very direction. Gabriel nodded to himself, "Cool, he left me for a deer."

When the shifter finally caught up to Jasper, he noticed a pile of - if he counted correctly - seven deer. "Dude, where did you even find that many?" The vampire only shrugged.

"Help me bury them." Jasper began digging eight feet deep holes for each individual deer.

"Tell me how old you are," Gabe crossed his arms over his chest and Jasper rolled his eyes.

"Oh my god," Jasper whispered to himself, "Fine, I'm 201. Happy?" Gabe uncrossed his arms in a fit of shock, his face contorting to borderline disgust.

"You're so," Gabriel struggled to find the word, "old!"

Jasper only rolled his eyes and asked, "Do you want to see an old man cry? No? Then start burying!"

By the time Jasper and Gabriel had buried all the deer, ensured that the former's eyes had gone back to their golden glory, and Jasper had showered and changed, a nurse had informed the group that the surgery was almost over and Dr. Cullen was successful in repairing the hole.

Alice's laugh chimed through everyone's ears and Gabriel looked up, a smile plastered on his face. He took one look at Alice Cullen's golden eyes, the same as Jasper's but all too different, and his jaw slacked. She, in a two second span, became his whole word and more.


	9. Tales Of Past's Ghosts

Jasper only watched with sorrow eyes as Safina lay on the crisp white sheets of the hospital bed, curls spread around her face. Renesmee had taken it upon herself to care for her friend's hair, it seemed to be the only thing keeping her grounded. The Texan didn't know how he done so as long as he had. He expected himself to break down into tears at any given second, though he only held tightly onto Safina's ashen hand and waited to see her coffee-colored irises.

A nurse came in soon enough to check her vitals and Jasper held his breath. He hadn't had any mishaps in _years_, not since Bella's eighteenth birthday party. Still, he could never be truly sure of himself and simply turned away from the red-haired nurse.

"Has she shown any sign of waking up hun?" It took Jasper a second to realize she was talking to him and rather than responding he only shook his head. "Hm," her tanned face scrunched up in frustrated confusion and she wrote something down on a clipboard.

He had to know, "When _should_ she wake up?" Jasper had not studied medicine like Rosalie, Edward, or Carlisle had. Even Alice took a slight interest in pharmaceuticals in the 1970s, but quickly decided that the subject did not spark as much passion as psychology did.

"Charlotte" - as her name tag read - avoided eye contact with the Cullen boy, deciding on a quick smile and a reassuring, "Any minute now." She was just like the rest of the hospital staff who shared a room with any of the Cullens: nervous, mesmerized, and lustful - despite the unconscious patient whose hand had not left Jasper's since she got there. Charlotte, however, felt guilty. For what, Jasper couldn't decide; maybe she was lying to him and Safina would never wake up, maybe she didn't _want_ Safina to wake up, or - and Jasper rationalized that this was the most likely - maybe she just felt bad that nothing was definitive for the poor boy.

"Thanks," Jasper mumbled, settling back in his spot beside Safina. "I'm not sure if you can hear me," he whispered into her ear, "but on the off chance than you can, I _need _you to wake up baby." He knew that if he were human, he would be shedding a waterfall of tears. "There's still so much I haven't told you...so much that I need you to know, things that you have to know."

Carlisle stood behind his son, watching from the doorway of the bleak room that reeked of bleach and saline. Jasper had heard the approaching footsteps in the hallway, along with the notes the doctor took as he walked, not having to worry about running into anyone. Though, it still surprised him when his adoptive father didn't smile sympathetically at him like he assumed he would. The Cullen family knew of Jasper's past, well, all that he could tell them without having a flashback episode of the war. Carlisle was understanding of the delicate situation the Texan lay at their feet, all too remembering of the traumatics of war, and what it felt like to imagine himself as a traitor.

"Son, no matter what you tell her, she'll understand. You'll find out in time what it means to be in love. Acceptance is not equivalent to value: your worth won't change in her eyes simply because of who you were. She knows Jasper Hale, not Major Jasper Whitlock," Carlisle's hand rested on top of his son's marble shoulder, a tight grip of reassurance.

"Major?" Safina's voice croaked. Neither of the vampires had heard her wake up, which meant she had to have been either completely silent or had only heard part of their conversation.

Carlisle pushed the topic into another direction: her awakening. "Ah, Safina, so glad to see you're awake," he gave his signature smile and quickly grabbed the flashlight pen out of his white coat pocket, giving the teen girl instructions to follow his finger while he made sure her pupils reacted accordingly to the light. "How do you feel?"

"I feel great, doc," Safina smiled, although Jasper knew she was in pain, even as much as she tried to hide it. "But...I do think my chest hurts a bit." Carlisle laughed, giving promises of a nurse coming back with pain medication shortly, then leaving after getting an emergency page.

"So," Safina's raw voice was directed at Jasper, "Major, huh? What war was this? World War One?" It was at that moment that two things occurred: a) Jasper had never been more in love than when Safina Wells stared up at him, eyes full of wonder with a cut lip and a long scar marking her chest and b) he had never felt more grateful that his father was such an influence in the hospital when Charlotte stepped back into the room, pain medicine in one hand and a glass of water in the other.

When she left, Safina took a few drinks, cleared her throat, then turned back to her boyfriend, "That is definitely _not _Fiji." Jasper laughed, head thrown back, taking a few seconds to compose himself. Safina's smile dulled slightly when she asked, "Do all of the nurses look at you like that?"

Jasper thought for a second then answered, "If I'm honest, probably, though I wouldn't really know. You've been alI could think about this week. And last week. And probably next week." Her smile reached her eyes and she hurried in for a kiss but soon regretted it when her head - thrown with too much momentum - knocked into Jasper's stone-like forehead. The vampire tried not to laugh and kissed it better for her, more times than was probably necessary but neither one cared.

"Oh!" Jasper called out, "I have something for you!" He walked to the counter where a black duffle bag rested and began to dig around.

"You didn't have to do that," Safina reassured

"Oh but I think I did." He rummaged for a few more seconds before calling out "Aha!" and pulled out a pair of black, square rimmed glasses.

"My glasses! Thank you so much Jazz, it kinda sucked not being able to see," she rejoiced as she put them on, reveling in having good vision again. She pulled him in for a kiss on the cheek before asking, "So what about that Major thing?"

Jasper sighed before taking his seat once more, attempting to find a way to explain his complex past to Safina. "I'm from Texas, as you know, I, uh, fought in the Civil War."

Automatically assuming the worst, Safina's face dropped and she managed to get out, "You didn't…"

He chuckled and Safina thought about throwing something at him. Jasper explained, "No, I didn't, technically. Safina, I didn't agree with the ideals of the South, I knew what the Confederacy was fighting for and I knew it wasn't right. The North wasn't better in terms of how they treated people, but at least they fought for liberation.

"I was drafted, but as much as I wanted to avoid it, I instead sought a deal with the North. I would spy on the Confederate battle tactics and report them back to the North. At some point, I was given orders to evacuate Galveston, where I met Maria." Jasper continued his story of being a pawn in Maria's attempt to control the southern territories, and how his empathic abilities were seemingly used against him.

Safina gave a sympathetic smile to the honey-haired boy, "Jazz, I love you."


	10. Parties Without Masquerades

It took Safina two days to remember how much she hated hospitals. The tape holding her IV in her arm was itching her skin and her fingernails never breached the bandage so her arm was covered in pointless bright red scratches. She swore they used artificial lights to make sure people knew they were alive but they became too bright as they bounced off the white walls, sheets, and furniture and they hurt her eyes. Most importantly, the hospital food tasted awful, like they had used substitutes for everything that tasted good. Safina was becoming restless, only sitting for hours at a time watching old reruns of shows that weren't funny in the 90s either.

Eventually, after weeks of physical therapy, Carlisle cleared Safina to go home. Though, she would still have to do outpatient rehab, which caused her to groan and Jasper to stifle a laugh.

"Jazz, I'm sure Gabe could have driven me home."

"Gabe's a bit...busy."

Safina furrowed her brows at this and hoped they weren't planning something. It was at that moment that Jasper realized: no one had told Safina about Gabriel and Alice. He hoped she wouldn't notice the guilty look on his face, as they had spent weeks going on sporadic dates and shopping trips, with love in their eyes and light kisses.

When Jasper had gotten the last of Safina's bags - all in one trip - they reached the large oak door which Jasper insisted on opening. As soon as they reached the living room, it seemed like everyone Safina had ever met in Forks was there. She took note of how Gabe's arm was wrapped around Alice's delicate waist, but put it on the back burner.

"You guys didn't have to do this!" Tears welled in the teens eyes as she hugged her parents.

Cherie kissed her daughter's forehead, "We know. Just figured a little get together was appropriate."

"A little get together? This is everyone I know!" Everyone laughed and soon Renesmee bounded up to Safina, pulling her into a hug.

"Nessie, you just saw me yesterday," the brunette laughed.

"So?" Nessie asked playfully as she pulled her best friend onto the back patio. "What's the haps with you and Jazz?"

Safina felt her cheeks get warm. Nessie did too. "Me and Jazz? What about you and Jacob?"

"Me and Jacob?" Renesmee was confused, "He's like my brother!"

"But the first day I met you guys on the beach…" Safina referred to how he held her.

"Yeah, I was cold, he's warm. Besides, I have my eye on another guy - who's NOT 17 years older than me!"

They both giggled and turned towards the door when they heard it creak open. Jasper appeared outside with a jacket, placing it over Safina's shoulders. He lightly kissed the corner of her mouth, laughing as she shivered. With that, he went inside. It was then that Seth, the boy Safina remembered from the beach, rushed outside, a large blanket in his hands.

"Uh, Nessie, do you maybe want this blanket?" Even he cringed at his words.

"Maybe," Nessie responded with a sly smile.

He gently laid it on her body, blushed harder than Safina's ever seen anyone blush before, then went inside. Quirking an eyebrow at the red-haired hybrid, she was met with red cheeks and dazed green eyes.

The next day, Saturday, Safina found herself in Jasper's bedroom, looking through a stack of what appeared to be first edition history books. She sat on his bed, taking in how stiff it was, probably from having never been used, flipping through the delicate pages with light fingers.

"Have you read all of these?" Jasper barely noticed her question, too busy planting kisses on her collarbones.

"Some more than five times," he said as he moved Safina's curly hair away from her neck, his cold lips following his cooler touch. She shivered and moved her head to the side, giving him further access.

Jasper did not care as he heard her pulse point below her neck, as his thirst was for something much different than her blood.

"Have you ever considered - ah - giving classes at - ah - colleges," she bit her lip to stifle the sounds.

"Done it." His lips explored her jawline, eventually finding her own - much warmer - mouth.

At that point, something snapped in Safina, a tight cord pulled too hard for too long. She threw her leg over his and pushed him into the mattress, trailing her nails lightly down his clothes torso. She reconnected their lips and he took a moment to memorize the softness of hers, until she moved her lips to his neck. Her skin, he noticed, felt like fire in comparison to his own and he hoped the flames left marks in their wake. Just so he could feel that alive all the time. Her hands gently pulled at the strands of honey blonde hair she loved so much and his nails scraped down her arms, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

She began to unbutton his shirt, noticing but not acknowledging the hundreds, if not thousands, of bite marks that were embedded in his marble skin. He let her, and if possible, fell even more in love with her.


	11. Not Likely To Be Chosen

**A/N: I am so sorry for the wait. To be honest, I haven't been working on any of my stories for a while. My grandfather recently passed away from COVID so I've been dealing with that for a minute. It truly reminded me to take a break when I absolutely need to, and I am sorry it was at the expense of you guys. I am ready to get back to it though, and I hope you guys enjoy. My inbox is always open if you ever need to talk :)**

Hickory met honey in a flash of memories that Gabriel hadn't remembered. Had they happened yet? Alice's wide eyes stared at the white tiles as she tried to come up with some explanation even though she was still going through the motions herself. Gabe began a brisk walk toward the parking lot and Alice followed.

"There has to be a logical reason for this!" She yelled in utter desperation.

"Why? Why does everyone say that when there is _no_ logical reasoning for anything that happens!" Neither one was sure who he was yelling at, but they both knew the reason.

"Because, um, everything happens for a reason?" Now Alice was unsure of herself, which had never happened before.

"Listen, none of this," he gestured between the two of them, "makes sense, ok?" He pulled at his hair from the root, hoping the answers to life would come to him. "Nothing in my entire life has ever made sense, least of all this."

Alice understood. The confusion of life as a rising adult was hard enough without the knowledge of the supernatural or parental deaths. For the first time in almost a century, Alice had no words. Even she could not muster a reason for the spiritual pairing bestowed upon them, and she wasn't sure anyone else could, either.

"I came here to live with my dad, get through senior year, and go to Harvard. Now, I can't even sleep at night because I can still hear the pack's thoughts, and they're just so _loud_." Alice understood that, too. Well, to some degree. Even though there was no watching out for Victoria or an unknown hybrid baby, her visions still made her head pound. She wished they would turn off, even if it was just for a week. Though, with Jacob and the pack around more often, they did turn off, and she rejoiced in it. She knew that wasn't an option for Gabe, and she pitied him.

"Massachusetts is nice." Alice gently placed a hand on Gabe's shoulder.

"Tell me about it," Gabe muttered. The disdain in his mouth had yet to match the warmth on his shoulder.

"I'm from Mississippi," Alice said, "One of the lesser 'M' states." Gabriel laughed and Alice swore it was the most beautiful sound. She swore he called angels with the bells that rang from his mouth.

"Never been."

"Consider yourself lucky." There he went again, hailing ethereal beings.

The first date they went on was the next Saturday. Rosalie chastised her sister for having to shop for an occasion she was more than well prepared for.

"But I was not prepared for him," Alice claimed and Rose's words ceased. Renesmee begged her aunt to wear purple because _it looked so good on her!_ While Rosalie pleaded that she wear red because _it flatters pale skin more!_ Bella stayed home.

Alice decided on blue, she'd seen Gabe wear enough of it to determine it was his favorite color. Her fashion keen eyes told her that royal blue stuck out to him, as his royal blue hoodies and shirts were cleaner and better taken care of than the rest of his clothes.

The restaurant she chose was dim, but light enough he could still see her topaz eyes. Gabe noticed that Alice's dress was his favorite color and he wished it was all she wore.

"Come on, I wanna show you something," Alice beckoned after the bill was paid and Gabe had eaten _both _of their plates. She led him to a small clearing at the top of a hill, where the stars shone brightly over the Forks skyline. "I come here to think sometimes. When it all gets to be too much."

"It's beautiful," Gabe said, even though he hadn't even looked to the sky.

"This life that Carlisle provided for me, I'm so unbelievably grateful for, but sometimes, I find myself resenting immortality."

"Why?" Curiosity overcame Gabe.

"For starters, I miss the sun. I miss sunbathing during the summer, even though my mother always said it would ruin my complexion," she laughed, then frowned, "I miss my mother, even though I can't remember her that well. That's one of the few memories I do have from my human life. Apparently I had a sister, Cynthia. Do you know how much it hurts to not be able to remember your own sister?"

"No, and I can't even begin to imagine what that must be like for you, waking up one day and not remembering who you are."

"More than anything," Alice said, "it hurts. It's like there's this part of my brain...and my heart that's been cut out and I tried so hard to find the pieces but they're sharper than the jagged edges of the holes they left."

Gabe grabbed her hand and interlocked their fingers, "I felt like there was a piece cut from my heart when my mom died. That still doesn't feel right to say, wow. I miss her so much everyday but I think I found comfort in the fact that it won't hurt like this forever. I just hope that one day I can wake up and the pain won't be there anymore, but I know that's unrealistic."

"Pain is what makes you human."

Alice and Gabriel spent everyday together after their date. She showed him around Port Angeles, marking her favorite stores but telling him that her "most favorite" stores were actually in the likes of Paris and Milan. He told her that he never left the country and she promised she would take him there someday soon. To anyone passing by, they would assume that Alice and Gabe had been together for years, and it even felt like that to them. Every moment they spent together was a stitch in the holes that came from the tragedies that brought them together. Even though it might take forever to completely heal them, they decided it was worth it.

On the day that Safina came home from the hospital, the Cullen family, along with Gabriel and the pack, realized that no one had told her about the newest couple. It was clear that Jasper had realized that too, seeing as his eyes widened at the sight of Gabriel's hand around Alice's waist. They decided to explain themselves once the party ended, and everyone had gone home.

Jacob stuck around, seeing as he could explain imprinting best. That, along with his divine right as Alpha, lead to him ushering everyone out of the house.

"So about Alice and Gabe…" Safina began before Jake held his hand up, silently cutting her off.

"Gabe imprinted on Alice a couple days after you were admitted to the hospital," He explained.

"And imprinting is?"

"Imprinting is a spiritual connection between members of the pack and the people that the spirits deem important to us, rather it be in love or in spiritual development." Jacob's eyes went to Nessie, who gave an encouraging smile.

"So it's like...spiritual love at first sight?" Safina asked, confused.

"Not necessarily. It _can _mean that, but only if that's what the imprintee wants. The spirits decide this, not us. Oh! An example is Nessie and I, I imprinted on her when she was a baby, that made it very clear to us that it was a spiritual development imprint, and not one that would become romantic. That's just gross." Jake, along with everyone else in the room, shuddered.

"So that means that the spirits decided that Alice wanted a romantic imprint?" Safina had a much better grasp on the idea now.

"Exactly! Imprinting is much more than a 'decided love', it's a predetermined spiritual connection." With that, the serious conversation was over and Safina began to poke fun at the couple.

For a moment, all was well.


	12. With Your Human Love

In the days that followed Safina's return from the hospital, she spent them with her parents. Gabe and the Cullens had returned to school, mainly to keep up appearances. Cherie took Safina shopping in Seattle and her father took her fishing at First Beach. She had never been able to spend so much time with her father, and even though she fully understood why, it still almost brought tears to her eyes when he admitted that he didn't know that much about his own daughter. She brought him up to speed on mostly everything: her top picks for college, her favorite sports teams, and even the subjects she struggled with most in school. Elliot, in return, told his daughter stories about her mother from when they were young teenagers in love, and then the old Quileute legends. They listened to each other with deep intensity, neither one willing to miss a single detail.

Cherie brough Safina with her to her clients' homes, informing her about all the details of interior design. They went for coffee and played with the twins. Caiden seemed to have an obsession with jewelry, which Cherie had warned Safina about. He would pull at it until it broke, which was a problem considering the teething necklace that rested around his neck. Zara, on the other hand, was a biter. Her sharp toddler teeth prompted a yelp from Safina when Zara had dug them into her sister's finger. Safina, who had been hesitant about the twins' very existence, loved the way they looked at her with such adoration, despite not having known her for very long.

Safina had begged Renesmee to tell her all of the details surrounding her and Seth. While the bronze haired girl refused, her pale cheeks burned with a bright crimson. Nessie had tried to ask Seth on a date but had clammed up and decided against it. Who needed a boyfriend anyway? When she watched how Jasper and Safina interacted, though, she decided that _she _did.

Jasper encouraged her to go for it, the longing she felt was overwhelming to the empath. Safina agreed, suddenly excited at the notion of double dating. Even though Jasper wasn't quite sure what that meant, if it pleased Saf, it pleased him. _Saf._ He'd called her that on accident one day as they sat on the sandy beach, wind blowing harshly. Seeing the tidepools always brought a certain joy to Safina, but he couldn't tell anyone what she had seen as his sole focus was her.

"_Saf, you're so beautiful," he'd blurted. _

"'_Saf?'" she'd laughed, like music to his sensitive ears, "and you're beautiful-er, Jay." _

And so they had nicknames for each other, along with a disposable camera Safina had bought from the pharmacy. The roll mainly consisted of candid pictures of her. Pictures of her doing homework, drawing, laughing, all the things he loved to watch his "Saf" do. He considered stealing the camera, saving it for a special occasion. Jasper smiled at the ideas that formed about what he could do with the pictures.

Safina's hair was wrapped around her finger, she was listening to Jasper read a book about the Civil War. She loved the joy it brought to Jay whenever he talked about how the war played out, especially the battle tactics. Her mahogany eyes took in the way his fingers trailed the words as he read them, and she smiled.

This had become a sort of routine, them reading to each other. He read historical fiction - and non-fiction - and she read him the Harry Potter series. Jasper found himself lost in not only her voice, but the content of the books. As it turned out, the Civil War Major loved magic. Sometimes they would compete in drawing each other, even though Safina's talent far outweighed Jasper's. Occasionally, they found themselves in the arcade of the local (and only) bowling alley. She showed him how to play Pacman - he knew how to play, though he would never tell her that. They played skeeball and cheated on the whack-a-mole game.

His reading came to a sudden halt and before she knew it, Safina was standing in the living room, where Alice held a tight grip onto Gabe's hand.

"What's going on Alice?" Carlisle's voice was calm, yet authoritative.

"Something's wrong."

Safina's eyes swept over the Cullens, whose eyes also searched for the others. Renesmee held on tightly to her mother, worried tears filling her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Gabe asked, his arm wrapped around her small waist.

"Someone's coming," she stated, her golden eyes wide with worry as they stared at the Cullen patriarch, "and I can't see who it is."

"What do they want?" Bella asked, her grip equally tight on her husband and daughter.

Edward answered for Alice, his face crestfallen, "Jasper. They want Jasper."


	13. Trained To Love You

In the moment that Edward spoke the words that nobody wanted to hear, the Cullen house went silent. The only noises that could be heard were the breathing that came from Safina, Gabriel and Nessie. Even those noises were muted by the loud thoughts that no one could contain. Edward thought that he would explode with all the voices.

"When are they coming, Ally?" Gabe was the first to speak, and considered the bravest by the family. They wanted to ask, but did not want to know.

"Two, maybe three weeks. It's blurry." They knew that Gabe was the root of the lack of clarity in Alice's vision. Gabe also knew, considering himself a weakness.

Edward spoke up, "Gabe, you're not a weakness. They may not have decided yet."

"Edward's right," Carlisle said, "her visions are contingent on decisions. Either way, we need to be prepared now. I hate to ask the pack for their help considering all the aid they've given us before."

"I'll ask anyway, Carlisle. Jacob and I have an obligation to this family, we have no choice but to protect you." It was clear he was talking to Alice, his eyes were locked on hers in a gaze of wondrous love.

"Thank you, Gabriel," he smiled at his daughter's love, "Jasper, do you have any idea who this could be?"

Jasper was quick to shake his head, "I don't keep in contact with anyone besides Peter and Charlotte. No one's ever been too interested in me," he explained.

Carlisle nodded, also thinking about the person who could be after his son. "I would suggest calling them, son. Let them know what's happening, we could use their help if they're willing to offer."

The Texan gave a curt nod, his attention mainly on Safina, whose worried look scared him.

"Jay, why would anyone be after you?"

"I don't know, Saf." He was honest, he didn't think he had done anything to warrant being hunted like prey. Jasper Whitlock was no prey, he was always the predator.

He knew Safina loved him, it's almost all he ever felt from her: love and admiration. Jasper could only hope that Safina would not be used as a pawn in whoever's game they were playing. Edward gave him a look, reassuring that everything would work out, it always had. That worried Jasper even more, anyone who thought themselves strong enough to take him on, was surely different than any other villain they had faced. Waves of confidence rolled off of Edward's body, and Jasper laughed. Leave it to Edward to be nosing through his brain, then try to help him.

The pack agreed to help, Jacob explained that his tie to Renesmee would always give the Cullens a way of knowing that they would always have help on any battlefield. Carlisle began arranging training days, as he was sure just one would not be enough. Jasper and Emmett would make sure that the perimeter around Safina's house was safe on the nights that Gabe had patrol duties. Rosalie and Alice helped with explaining the situation to Gabe and Safina's parents. They knew it would happen eventually.

"Please take care of her," they begged. Rosalie assured them that nothing would happen to their daughter, even though she wasn't too sure herself.

Safina and Renesmee sat on the sidelines as they watched the wolves and Cullens train for battle. Bella looked to be having the most fun. She was sparring with Edward, one of the fairer fights considering he couldn't anticipate her every move like he could with everyone else. Bella was quick to go for a punch, which her husband blocked, a playful smile on his face. Edward tried to twist her around by her arm, but she only grabbed his neck, throwing him on the ground in a move Safina couldn't even see. When he rose from the ground, he searched for her, then she appeared on his back, having jumped from the tree branches above them.

"Careful there, spidermonkey," Edward smirked, and they shared a kiss which Emmett pretended to gag at. Rosalie elbowed him in the ribs.

"I remember when it was me, watching them train and feeling useless. Trust me, you're not," the mother had said. At one point, Safina was left alone as Jasper called his niece up to fight.

"If it is an army, you're probably our best bet. They won't know you exist, your blood will distract them and your speed and strength will confuse them. The wolves are a great bonus," Jasper explained. He looked so in his element, as if this was who he was born to be.

Safina thought about what he may have been like before his immortality, or even before the war. Was he just as charming to all the southern belles as he was to her? Was he quiet and reserved, just waiting for the right girl?

"Just hate that it took me so long to find her," Jasper's cool breath was on her neck as he whispered into her ear. Had she spoken out loud? "Edward's been tellin' me what you're thinkin'." She locked eyes with the telepath, giving a slight shake of her head and a sideways smile. They both wished it could stay this way.


End file.
